NIHR GOSH BRC Translational Research (Non-Clinical) PhD Studentships

NIHR GOSH BRC Translational Research (Non-Clinical) PhD Studentships

An exciting non-clinical PhD opportunity at the NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR GOSH BRC) is open for applications. The NIHR GOSH BRC’s Career Development Academy and the Accelerating Novel Therapies (ANT) and Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM) BRC research themes aims to fund three highly motivated non-clinical PhDs students to support the training and development of the next generation of translational researchers. The full-time studentships will begin on 1 October 2024 and be based at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (ICH). The studentship offers a starting stipend of £21,181 per annum (includes London weighting), as well as the cost of UK tuition fees, and £5,000 per annum contribution towards the running costs of their project. We have funding for up to three studentships - two within the TERM theme and one within the ANT theme.

The closing date for submission of applications is Wednesday 15 May 2024. Please see our webpage for more details and how to apply: NIHR GOSH BRC Translational Research (Non-Clinical) PhD Studentships 2024 | Great Ormond Street Hospital

The NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR GOSH BRC) is a collaboration between Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (ICH). The NIHR GOSH BRC provides cutting-edge facilities and world-leading expertise and access to over 200 rare disease patient populations allowing our staff and NHS, university and industry collaborators to conduct pioneering translational research into childhood illnesses.

Prospective PhD students are required to apply to a specific project, with students selecting a first and second choice project (in priority order). The list below provides a summary of the projects available, further details about each of the projects can be found on our website.

Project Title / PhD Supervisory Team

BRC Theme: Accelerating Novel Therapies (ANT):

1: Developing an ADAR-mediated RNA editing therapy for treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy:

• Dr Haiyan Zhou, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (primary)
• Dr Jinhong Meng, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (subsidiary)
• Prof. Francesco Muntoni, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (subsidiary)

2: A Patient-derived 3D humanized model of ADCY5-related disease to accelerate therapeutic approaches for patients:

• Dr Serena Barral, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (primary)
• Prof Manju Kurian, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (subsidiary)
• Dr Haiyan Zhou, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (subsidiary)

3: Treatment and biomarker development for inherited manganese transporter defects using cell models of SLC30A10 deficiency:

• Dr Karin Tuschl, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (primary) 
• Prof Philippa Mills, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (primary)
• Dr Wendy Heywood, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (subsidiary)

BRC Theme: Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM):

4: Role of mechanical signals in a 3D human model of alveolar differentiation:

• Dr Stavros Loukogeorgakis, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (primary)
• Dr Federica Michielin, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (subsidiary)
• Prof. Paolo De Coppi, Great Ormond Street Hospital (subsidiary)

5: AI-assisted diagnosis, surgical planning & implant design for craniofacial patient care:

• Prof. Silvia Schievano, UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health
• Dr Juling Ong, Great Ormond Street Hospital
• Prof. Owase Jeelani, Great Ormond Street Hospital

6: Vascularising human mini-brains in a dish:

• Dr Paula Alexandre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (primary)
• Prof. David Long, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (subsidiary)

7: Optogenetic sculpting of next-generation organoids for disease modelling of congenital malformations including spina bifida:

• Dr Gabriel Galea, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health
• Prof. Jane Sowden, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health

8: Advancing translational cell therapy for Hirschsprung disease:

• Dr Conor McCann, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health
• Prof. Paolo De Coppi, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health

Applicants should have or expect to receive a first class or upper second-class degree in a relevant discipline or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Please note, this studentship covers the cost of tuition fees based on the UK (Home) rate. Non-UK students are welcome to apply, but will have to fund the difference between the UK (Home) rate and the overseas rate where they are not eligible for UK fee status.

To apply, prospective PhD students will need to submit an application form which can be found on our website, along with a CV and arrange for two references to be sent to brc@gosh.nhs.uk via the ‘Apply’ button above. The deadline for applications is Wednesday 15 May 2024. Following submission of applications, there will be several stages to the process of selecting students, including interviews due to take place in June.

NIHR GOSH BRC Translational PhD studentship guideance and application form

Please contact brc@gosh.nhs.uk if you have any questions.